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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY

AnnieBlack

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joined:4/3/14

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#225
Posted: 7/1/16 at 5:17pm

The stand-by thing has been a constant rumor that has never been actually said in any way by the production- I will be surprised if Rudin decides to do that

AC126748

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joined:7/15/06

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#226
Posted: 7/1/16 at 5:17pm

"You travel alone because other people are only there to remind you how much that hook hurts that we all bit down on. Wait for that one day we can bite free and get back out there in space where we belong, sail back over water, over skies, into space, the hook finally out of our mouths and we wander back out there in space spawning to other planets never to return hurrah to earth and we'll look back and can't even see these lives here anymore. Only the taste of blood to remind us we ever existed. The earth is small. We're gone. We're dead. We're safe." -John Guare, Landscape of the Body

PalJoey

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joined:3/11/04

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#227
Posted: 7/1/16 at 5:28pm

I hope the standby is going to be someone who will give the production some 2016-Broadway multicultural credibility: not a Pearl Bailey/Cab Calloway thing where the whole cast is black, but an African-American or Latino or Asian standby for Bette Midler.

Hope's hoping for a color-blind Yonkers!

sondheimfan2

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joined:11/15/05

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#228
Posted: 7/1/16 at 5:34pm

For the role of Cornelius, I'm wondering if they will take the comic actor path (like the OBC - Charles Nelson Reilly) instead of the romantic lead type (Jordan, et al. ).

Updated On: 7/2/16 at 05:34 PM

smidge

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joined:5/16/06

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#229
Posted: 7/1/16 at 5:37pm

AnnieBlack said: "The stand-by thing has been a constant rumor that has never been actually said in any way by the production- I will be surprised if Rudin decides to do that

Isn't a standby different from an alternate? I doubt they'll have an alternate perform one show a week. But they will probably need a standby if Miss Midler becomes ill.

wonderfulwizard11

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joined:7/30/05

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#230
Posted: 7/1/16 at 5:38pm

Barasch was pitch-perfect as Arpad and would make a terrific Barnaby. Plus, he's already worked with Warren Carlyle, so I'd be surprised if he wasn't being considered.

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

DAME

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#231
Posted: 7/1/16 at 6:27pm

PalJoey said: "

I hope the standby is going to be someone who will give the production some 2016-Broadway multicultural credibility: not a Pearl Bailey/Cab Calloway thing where the whole cast is black, but an African-American or Latino or Asian standby for Bette Midler.

Hope's hoping for a color-blind Yonkers!

"

Olga Merediz ( from In The Heights) is a formidable Dolly Levi. I have seen her do it twice many years ago. And I have never been able to forget it. And along the multicultural sensibility would be a brilliant choice to standby for Bette.

HUSSY POWER! ------ HUSSY POWER!

somethingwicked

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joined:5/27/05

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#232
Posted: 7/1/16 at 6:48pm

If Bette only wanted to do 7 shows a week (and committed to appearing in every performance), wouldn't it be a better decision to only offer 7 performances a week? That's what they just did with Long Day's Journey Into Night.

That's precisely what I've heard is being planned.

Klea Blackhurst was a wonderful Dolly at Goodspeed a few years ago. She'd be an ideal standby for Midler given how similar a presence they have.

Tonya Pinkins: Then we had a "Lot's Wife" last June that was my personal favorite. I'm still trying to get them to let me sing it at some performance where we get to sing an excerpt that's gone.
Tony Kushner: You can sing it at my funeral.

Updated On: 7/1/16 at 06:48 PM

qolbinau

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#233
Posted: 7/1/16 at 7:00pm

In a 7 performance week what show do they typically miss? Wednesday or Saturday matinee?

I often post here on my phone, so please excuse issues with grammar, paragraphing and spelling :).

smidge

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#234
Posted: 7/1/16 at 7:05pm

Didn't Bette only do 7 shows for I'll Eat You Last? I remember she only did a 2:00 show on Wednesdays.

SomethingPeculiar

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joined:6/15/14

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#235
Posted: 7/1/16 at 8:34pm

qolbinau said: "In a 7 performance week what show do they typically miss? Wednesday or Saturday matinee?

"

No 2 cases are the same. Sometimes it's a Tuesday to have 2 consecutive days off in a row, could be a Wednesday, for Phantom and Hamilton it's the Saturday mat. Bette is probably gonna do whatever she wants to do haha

Updated On: 7/1/16 at 08:34 PM

CurtainPullDowner

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joined:11/4/04

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#236
Posted: 7/1/16 at 8:40pm

Barnaby "should" be an amazing dancer. None of the above mentioned. Bolger, etc. are known as dancers.

But Bolger does look a lot like Jerry Dodge.

TheSassySam

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#237
Posted: 7/3/16 at 4:11pm

Does anybody know if there will be a pre-sale for tickets?

Valentina3

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joined:2/26/16

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#238
Posted: 7/4/16 at 6:08pm

neon said - "You're on the right track with Gavin Creel."

If it is indeed Gavin Creel, I don't love the idea of him pursuing Kate Baldwin, but I'm curious to see it. Gavin was a fantastic Kodaly, but not for a second did he read like a "sleazeball" to me. I don't know how he would portray a lowkey virginal blue-collar worker. He is just...too classy. Oh well.

Can Nicholas Barasch dance, if they tap him to play Barnaby?

Auggie27

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#239
Posted: 7/5/16 at 10:55am

I'd say it's a given the show will be cast with diversity, i.e. there's no reason not to, and the star would likely insist if no one else would.

"I'm a comedian, but in my spare time, things bother me." Garry Shandling

BWAY Baby2

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joined:11/10/14

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#240
Posted: 7/5/16 at 11:03am

STOP THE COLOR COUNTING- IT IS OBNOXIOUS.

Kad

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#241
Posted: 7/5/16 at 11:22am

Then they should stop making it so easy by having the number be 0.

"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."

Brian07663NJ

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#242
Posted: 7/5/16 at 11:36am

Just this weekend a bunch of us were talking about what the prices of tickets will be for Hello Dolly with Bette. We agreed that we are going to have to be strong to take the "pounding" so what's the general consensus on what everyone will be using to get through it: silicon or water based?

hork

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#243
Posted: 7/5/16 at 11:45am

Kad said: "Then they should stop making it so easy by having the number be 0.

She Loves Me is closing soon, so ... done!

smidge

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joined:5/16/06

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#244
Posted: 7/5/16 at 1:02pm

Brian07663NJ said: "Just this weekend a bunch of us were talking about what the prices of tickets will be for Hello Dolly with Bette. We agreed that we are going to have to be strong to take the "pounding" so what's the general consensus on what everyone will be using to get through it: silicon or water based?

This made me spit out my lunch. Whatever it is, I hope I enjoy the inevitable pain.

"

BWAY Baby2

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#245
Posted: 7/5/16 at 1:16pm

O? You gotta be kidding- look at this years Tonys.

Brian07663NJ

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#246
Posted: 7/5/16 at 3:51pm

"This made me spit out my lunch. Whatever it is, I hope I enjoy the inevitable pain."

Yeah - the ticket sales will be far enough out that it is certain to be similar to how it hurts in the beginning and then the pain goes away so you can enjoy it. Just take a deep breath when it starts (when you purchase the tickets), relax once again (when you pay the credit card bill) and then you will be open enough to settle in for the ride (the night of the show).

wonderfulwizard11

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#247
Posted: 7/5/16 at 3:54pm

Auggie27 said: "I'd say it's a given the show will be cast with diversity, i.e. there's no reason not to, and the star would likely insist if no one else would."

I agree that it should be, but I don't think it's a given. Non-profits like the Roundabout and MTC have frequently been criticized by the lack of diversity on their stages, and yet (as in She Loves Me) still cast all white people. I'm not sure that a commercial revival, especially of a classic property, will be any different, I hope I'm wrong.

I am a firm believer in serendipity- all the random pieces coming together in one wonderful moment, when suddenly you see what their purpose was all along.

Valentina3

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#248
Posted: 7/5/16 at 8:04pm

It's a huge cast, let's not cry about lack of diversity before the auditions notices are even put up. Meanwhile... I can never not think of this when I listen to Hello Dolly now.

Annoying Actor Friend on twitter - "Can we take a moment for the fact that we live in a world where Dolly Levi enters the stage and immediately sings an anthem about fisting."

https://twitter.com/Actor_Friend/status/749419415905538048

PalJoey

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#249
Posted: 7/5/16 at 8:17pm

Well, after all, those lyrics were written by Jerry Herman, and he should know!

smidge

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Bette Midler Confirms Broadway Return in HELLO DOLLY#250
Posted: 7/5/16 at 8:32pm

I would twist and stir a little for Gavin Creel.

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